Otitis externa is a disease of the external ear that is characterized by inflammation of the meatal skin. Over 90% of cases of otitis externa can be traced to bacterial and/or fungal infections. In the incipient stage, symptoms of otitis include itching and pain in the ear canal, often accompanied by tenderness in the area around the external auditory meatus and pain when the ear lobe is pulled or when the jaw is moved. In the definitive stage, suppuration occurs in the ear canal, and may be accompanied by decreased auditory function. Treatment of otitis externa is complicated by the relative inaccessibility of the infected meatal skin, which makes it difficult to effectively apply a treatment to the affected area.
One approach which is directed at overcoming this drawback involves introducing into the infected area a ribbon gauze dressing soaked with antibacterial ear drops (the ear drops may contain a small dosage of a steroid) or with an astringent such as aluminum acetate solution. While such an approach can be very effective, it is not practical in some of the more acute instances of otitis, since contact between the inserted gauze and the inflamed meatal tissues can be extremely painful. Moreover, this approach cannot be administered by the patient, and hence requires an office visit for treatment.
The most common approach is to follow a prescribed regimen of ear drops. These drops may include a small dosage of a steroid or an organic acid, such as acetic acid. While this approach is effective in some cases and can be administered by the patient, as with any regimen of this type, any interruption of the treatment, such as missed dosages or applications, can result in failure to cure the disease. Moreover, the topical application of these drops often results in inadequate or insufficient contact with the surfaces to be treated, or contact of insufficient duration.
The effectiveness of a drop regimen or other approach requiring periodic application of a pharmaceutical composition can often be optimized when practiced by a skilled physician. However, as a practical matter, many patients are unwilling to participate in treatments that require multiple visits to a hospital or healthcare provider. Consequently, a number of such patients avoid initial treatment, or follow-up treatments, with the result that a readily curable condition of otitis externa matures into a more acute condition requiring serious medical intervention. A similar result can occur if there is any significant delay between the occurrence of the initial symptoms and subsequent treatment, as a result of, for example, a delay in scheduling an office visit. In this respect, it is notable that the growth rate of bacteria or fungi in infected tissues is often exponential.
There is thus a need in the art for a method and device for treating otitis externa which does not require multiple applications, and which is ameniable to treatment without delay. There is further a need in the art for a method and device for treating otitis externa which is non-invasive, which can be administered by the patient, and which effectively contacts the infected meatal skin. These and other needs are met by the devices and methodologies disclosed herein and hereinafter described.